State Stories

2016 Competitive Dance

January 28, 2016

The fourth annual edition of the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals returns to U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington on Friday and Saturday, January 29-30. Friday’s prelims will feature 90 total teams (30 per class) and the Top 10 teams in each class based on Friday’s results will move on to perform again in Saturday’s finals.

Every performance this weekend will be streamed live on the NFHS Network via www.IHSA.tv with a subscription, while recaps from Saturday’s finals will also be rebroadcast on Comcast Sports Net Chicago on numerous dates beginning February 14 (click for times/channel info).

For more info on the rules and regulations of the IHSA Competitive Dance State Finals, check out our dance primer from the inagural event in 2013.

CLASS 1AFirst-Time Qualifiers: 3, Illini West; Gardner-South Wilmington; MontiniFour-Time Qualifiers: 14, Aurora Central Catholic; Effingham St. Anthony; Fieldcrest; Highland; IC Catholic; Johnsburg; Mahomet-Seymour; Mascoutah; Mattoon; Morris; Normal University; Peotone; Quincy Notre Dame; TriadSectional Champions: Morris (91.13); Genoa-Kingston (89.77); Tolono University (89.77); Normal University (88.37); Highland (88.30)
Mahomet-Seymour cemented its status as one of the state’s top programs a year ago by bringing home its first state title. Meanwhile, Highland continued its amazing tradition as well in 2015, tying for third-place to ensure its third trophy in as many years, including a state championship in 2013. Villa Grove shared third-place with the Bulldogs last season in its first trip to the state finals and looks for another trophy finish this weekend. Genoa-Kingston (5th) and Tolono Unity (7th) each had Top 10 finishes a year ago in their first trips to state and have built on that success with Sectional crowns last week. Last year’s runner-up, Triad, will be back in the mix once again, while Sectional champ Morris aims for its first state final trophy and fourth Top 10 finish in tourney history. St. Anthony has been equally consistent, placing third in 2013 and following that by finishing in sixth place in both 2014 and 2015.

CLASS 2AFirst-Time Qualifiers: 4, Deerfield, Grant, Kenwood, Normal Community WestFour-Time Qualifiers: 9, Crystal Lake Central; Crystal Lake South; Fenton; Hinsdale South; Lakes; Lincoln-Way West; Normal Community; Oak Forest; Vernon HillsSectional Champions: Geneva (93.37); Oak Forest (93.13); Wauconda (91.70); Lincoln-Way West (91.23); Libertyville (88.93)
Two-time defending Class 2A state champion Geneva tries to make it three in a row this weekend, but the Vikings will have to overcome a field of perennial powers to earn a threepeat. That group includes fellow Sectional champs Libertyville (2nd in 2015) and Lincoln-Way West (3rd in 2015), who both earned trophies last year and have two consecutive Top 10 finishes. Lakes has just missed a trophy the past two years, finishing fourth each time, while Vernon Hills has never placed outside the Top 5 in the three years of the tourney, including a runner-up finish in 2013. Crystal Lake Central was the state champ in the inaugural event, while Oak Forest broke into the Top 10 last year (7th) for the first time in three tries and enters with the momentum of a Sectional title. In addition, three more Top 10 teams from 2015 return in Blue Island Eisenhower, St. Francis, and Fenton, the latter of whom placed third in 2013.

CLASS 3AFirst-Time Qualifiers: 4, Conant, Plainfield East, Schaumburg, Wheaton Warrenville SouthFour-Time Qualifiers: 12, Downers Grove South; Fremd; Lake Park; Libertyville; Maine South; Mundelein; Neuqua Valley; O'Fallon; Sandburg; South Elgin; Stevenson; YorkSectional Champions: Neuqua Valley (94.97); Lake Park (93.37); Barrington (91.93); Edwardsville (91.67); Maine South (87.80)
It’s no surprise to see Neuqua Valley among the 2016 Sectional winners after the Wildcats won the Class 3A state title last year with the second highest Saturday score in state final history. The team who holds the top mark of all-time, Maine South, also won a Sectional crown this year and hopes to return to its state title form of 2013 after a two-year hiatus from the Top 10. 2014 state champ Lake Park placed second last year less than a point behind Neuqua Valley, while fellow returnee Lake Zurich placed third a year ago in its first trip to state. Stevenson has been the model of consistency in the first three years of competition, placing second, third, and fourth, respectively. Edwardsville hopes to ride the wave of its Sectional title to the first Top 10 finish in school history, while Barrington’s Sectional crown comes on the heels of placing fifth a year ago, one year after the Fillies were the Class 3A runner-up. Minooka was .05 points from a Top 5 finish last year, while Glenbard North (7th), Fremd (8th), Mundelein (9th) and Bartlett (10th) all return after Top 10 finishes last season.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
4th annual State Series
4th year at U.S. Cellular Coliseum